Prof. Cairney is currently a professor and ARC Future Fellow at the University of Sydney. She is also the University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Enterprise and Engagement. She leads a research group that specialises in using advanced microscopy to study the three-dimensional structure of materials at the atomic scale and has an interest in mitigating hydrogen embrittlement in high-strength steels.

Prof. Cairney has published 1 book, >200 journal articles and a patent (with BlueScope Steel). Her work has been cited nearly 10,000 times and her h-index is 51. Prof. Cairney was a Finallist in the Australian Museum’s Eureka Prize in 2022 and was awarded the Acta Materialia Silver Medal in 2020.